Hose-jumper



(No Model.)

' "W. B. THOMAS.

HOSE JUMPER.

No. 287,341. Patented 001;. 23, 1883.

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NITED STATES WILLIAM B. THOMAS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

.HOSE-,JUMPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 287,341, dated October 23, 1883.

v Application filed July 2, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Hose-Jumpers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct a hose-jumper which, while providing a rigid and unyielding bridge for the wheels of cars or other vehicles when in use, can be readily folded into small compass for transportation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a pair of my improved hose-jumpers as they appear when in use; Fig. 2, a side view of one of the jumpers on a larger scale and Fig. 3, the same, showing the jumper folded.

One jumper is used for each rail, both j umpers being alike, and each comprising two inclined blocks, A A, made preferably of wood, shod with plates 6, of iron or steel. Each block is recessed on the under side to fit to the rail, and has a portion, a, forming a continuation of the tread of the rail, 'anda portion, 72, forming a continuation of the flange of the same. The block A is recessed or reduced in height at the end d adjacent to the block A, and the latter block has a portion, f, overlapping this reduced end d of the block A, the portion f being less in extent than the portion d, however, so that there is a space, a, for the reception of a line of hose between the two blocks, this space not being of sufficient width to interfere with the passage of the wheels of cars or other vehicles over the jumper. In order to prevent the direct contact of the wheels of wagons or the flanges of car-wheels with the hose, in the event of the latter projecting above the portions a of the blocks, I secure to the block A a strip, of sole-leather or equivalent material, which bridges the space as, as shown. The blocks A A are hinged together, the shoe e on the bottom of each block being cut away, to form a recess for the reception of the butts of the hinges, as shown in Fig. 2; and in order that the blocks may be folded together, as shown in Fig. 3, the hinge is made doublethat is to say, with a central plate, 75, and two pintles. The overhanging portion f of the block A has a tongue, m, which is adapted to a recess, n, in the portion d of the block A, and thus serves to aid in locking the two blocks together when the jumper is inuse.

In order to prevent the jumper from sliding on the track when it is subjected to the thrust of a wheel, I provide the block A with pivoted arms F, which have pointed ends adapted to be thrust down between the stones at the sides of the track, and thus prevent longitudinal displacement of the blocks. The arms F also serve to maintain the ends of the blocks A A laterally in line with each other when said blocks are folded together, as shown in Fig. 3, and thus prevent all straining or twisting of the hinges, due to independent lateral movement of the ends of the blocks.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of the block A, recessed at the end, with the block A, having a portion, f, overlapping the recessed portion of the block A, as set forth.

to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM B. THOMAS. Witnesses:

HARRY L. ASHENFELTER, HARRY SMITH." 

